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Media advisory: One of the world's fastest race car drivers leaves the track to lift the spirits of sick and injured children

What:As part of the "Racing for a Miracle" program, Marcos Ambrose and the stock car he drives -- the No. 9 Stanley Ford -- are stopping at UC Davis Children's Hospital to bring smiles to the faces of patients and their families. Ambrose and the No. 9 pit crew will participate with the children in kid-friendly activities. He will also meet his "honorary pit crew" -- four UC Davis Children's Hospital patients who will join him at the race this weekend in Sonoma. Their names, and the names of other children in the U.S. who are meeting unique medical challenges with courage, will adorn Ambrose's car to help bring him to victory on Sunday.

When:Thursday, June 21, 2012, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. (Ambrose is available from 10-10:30 for interviews; the event begins at 10:30.)

Where:The parking lot at the entrance to UC Davis Medical Center on X Street off Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento. Look for signs for "media parking." A map and directions are at online atwww.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/welcome/maps_directions

Why:UC Davis Children's Hospital recognizes that a hospital stay can be scary to a child and that creating a positive environment for healing is as important as providing world-class medical care. Having the chance to meet and play games with motorsports celebrities and see a cool, fast car gives young patients a break from their surroundings and helps alleviate the anxiety of hospitalization.

Additional information:In the spirit of what one famous stock car racer said, "Teamwork is everything," Stanley Black & Decker, the Ace Hardware Foundation and Richard Petty Motorsports have joined forces to create the "Racing for a Miracle" program to support hospitals that specialize in providing lifesaving treatments to children -- from birth to young adulthood. Stanley has pledged $100,000 to Children's Miracle Network hospitals nationwide and will donate $1 million more should Ambrose win his upcoming race, with a portion of those donations going to UC Davis Children's Hospital. Through CMN, the Ace Hardware Foundation also has donated more than $630,000 to support patient care programs and research at UC Davis Children's Hospital, the CMN affiliate in the Sacramento region.